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overlander63 · 07-03-2007, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigeasy63

Thanks for the two cents. I was thinking that maybe you had some reinforcements on the roof of goliath.
Until my next question...,

I have seen blocks of wood used to reinforce the roof, as new air conditioners mount by sandwiching the two halves against the roof by clamping. Inland RV has a section dedicated to installing a unit on an Airstream, it would be worth your while to check it out.

**HiHoAgRV** · 07-03-2007, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander63

the fridge was about 3 inches shorter than the original, and we had to install shims under the base of the new fridge.

Not to relive the past, but what model fridge did you get? I am on the edge of replacing the old Dometic 100 with a 2820 and would hope it's a direct replacement.

overlander63 · 07-03-2007, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiHoAgRV

Not to relive the past, but what model fridge did you get? I am on the edge of replacing the old Dometic 100 with a 2820 and would hope it's a direct replacement.

It was a Dometic 2625 Americana fridge, we got it From Jones RV Refrigeration in Illinois. It was a refurb unit, $700 plus shipping.

overlander63 · 07-07-2007, 06:59 PM

Yesterday I started prepping the interior for the new Winegard Batwing tv antenna. I removed the center panel to the bedroom divider , and pulled the new 75 ohm cable through the walls to where the outlets are to be. I had to drill out many rivets, and remove the lower part of the air conditioner. After completing the prep work, I buttoned up Bertha for the night.
This afternoon our kid (30 something

) showed up to assist with an unspecified project. We got out the ladder, and he went on the roof and started removing the stump of the old antenna. What looked to be about half a gallon of silicone later, he finally got down to the antenna mount. Drilling out the rivets holding the antenna base to the trailer, he was finally able to remove the part. We then made the unpleasant discovery that the silicone was the only thing holding the antenna in place, corrosion had wiped out the roof in that area.
Luckily I had a piece of aluminum sheet that I cut out to cover the now very large hole in the roof (did I mention it started raining part way through this adventure?). My assistant drilled and riveted the new skin in place, and vulkemed the seams and rivets. I then drilled a series of holes where the antenna control protrudes through the roof, and smoothed the hole out with a Dremel tool fitted with a burr. My assistant then returned to the roof, drilling and screwing the new antenna base to the replacement skin, and more Vulkem on the seams and screws. He installed the batwing part of the antenna, and we discovered it rather firmly rests against the air conditioner shroud. He turned the old skyliner mount over so the batwing would not ride on the shroud. It still touches the shroud, I'll have to figure out how to keep it away from the shroud.
We then adjourned to the interior, where he helped hold up the center panel while I reset the panel in its tracks, and re-riveted the panel to the overhead bows. I then turned on the air conditioner so we could work in some semblance of being cool. It was at this point I discovered one of the drain hoses has started to leak. On my head. Sigh... The center panel is back up, and I will work on trimming the antenna control shaft to size, and repair the air conditioner drain hose. That a/c is trying to tell me something, I only hope it waits until we can afford a new one before it tells me goodbye.
Here are some photos showing the work in progress, and the interior part of the corrosion issue. I was not allowed on the roof to take any pictures, maybe I can get them tomorrow while I am finishing up.

**HiHoAgRV** · 07-07-2007, 07:49 PM

Oops, I intended on posting a thread that may have helped. My unit has had the original intenna replaced with a batwing (monument to the flying nun as we call it) and the cable run into the front outlet via the refrig vent. The original flat conductor was still run to the rear outlet and didn't work. I added a coax to flat adaptor at each end and got cable to the rear without rewiring.

Chuck · 07-08-2007, 07:04 AM

boy, that looks familiar.

wish you'd told me you were gonna do this; I'd have warned you about how much longer the bat wing is vs. the old skyliner.

Here's what I had to do:

of course, yours is longer, and undoubtedly has more space between the vents, etc...but still, the point is, the batwing is longer than it looks.

you can also see the patch I had to put over the original hole. lots of corrosion there, too, which I sraped down w/ a wire wheel. bad idea, having those dissimilar metals in contact like that. Seems to me there was something about the batwing to prevent that in the future, but I can't remember exactly what it was. maybe I was just thinking "I won't live long enough for this to be a problem for ME"...which is probably what they were thinking when they installed the skyliner in 1970-x.

sd90mac · 07-08-2007, 07:28 AM

I have a question.

Why is it that every time I get the coach cleaned from the last repair, another demolition occurs? Oops I mean repair occurs?

Just curious. I will continue to neaten and clean as required as I have time. (I am now employed full time with Hospice in the HIM department. No longer able, per my Dr., to work the floor as a nurse because of knees, so doing my real favorite thing, Medical Records.)

Terry is working hard to get the coach ready for full timing, and it really is looking good.

Marie

CanoeStream · 07-08-2007, 07:29 AM

I was listening to episode 44 of theVAP yesterday. They answered a question about this conversion. Said the old antenna zinc base reacted and usually the aluminum was the sacrificial anode. Chuck knows...

Colin said he'd put a layer of mylar between if worried about bimetallism in installing a new batwing. On another question they said all they use is stainless steel fasteners.

overlander63 · 07-08-2007, 12:09 PM

Okay, so we didn't actually WORK on it for two full days, it just seems that way

. I went back out to the storage lot this morning, and our antenna mount repair is dry after a couple of light showers (light for here is like a severe storm anywhere else). The first thing I did was pull apart the air conditioner again, to find the leaki. It turned out one of the two drain hoses had cracked from moving it for the first time in god knows how long. I went out to Home Depot (there is no Ace Hardware within miles of here) and picked up a brass double barbed fitting, and slid it into the hose, with a small dollop of rtv on it just to be sure.
I then finished the interior part of the antenna install, cutting the swivel and crank rod down to size. It goes up and down, and spins around like a good antenna should. I am still concerned about the edge of the antenna rubbing the front of the a/c shroud. While it just barely touches it sitting still, I know going down the road there will be a lot more movement, and rubbing. Maybe a self-adhesive pad stuck tot he front of the shroud where the antenna rubs will be good.
After finishing the antenna install, I went back to the a/c, and reassembled it. I started it up, and let it run for an hour or so. No water drain leaks. Yay! While I had the air conditioner running, I put the tv cable mounts into the walls. The rear one was not a problem, but the front one is much smaller than the hole in the side of the wall. I am thinking about putting a piece of aluminum over the hole, painting it white, and cutting a smaller hole in it for the mount.
Here are more pictures:

eikel1we · 07-08-2007, 09:25 PM

OK, here is a Q. that may put me in the corner with the dunce hat but here goes anyway ...... could you not just turn the antenna a bit so it clears the shroud and have the other end point toward the roof center? Is the bracket near the roof vent something the antenna just rests on or does it fasten the antenna in place during travel? If it's just a rest for the antenna, could it be made a little taller?

suz

**azflycaster** · 07-08-2007, 09:44 PM

Why not make a slight adjustment to the wing with a grinding wheel? Is a half inch going to make any difference in reception?

overlander63 · 07-09-2007, 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eikel1we

OK, here is a Q. that may put me in the corner with the dunce hat but here goes anyway ...... could you not just turn the antenna a bit so it clears the shroud and have the other end point toward the roof center? Is the bracket near the roof vent something the antenna just rests on or does it fasten the antenna in place during travel? If it's just a rest for the antenna, could it be made a little taller?

suz

The main bracket has a slot that the arms have to rest in or the antenna will swivel around while driving. This slot faces directly rearward, toward the shroud. I already have the Batwing resting on the old Skyliner mount, and that mount turned upwards as far as it will go. I am thinking about adding a smallaluminum b lock to raise the antenna the requisite amount. Maybe it will work.
While I was leaving the storage lot, I noticed a Flair class A with a batwing--completely resting on the a/c shroud.

overlander63 · 07-09-2007, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azflycaster

Why not make a slight adjustment to the wing with a grinding wheel? Is a half inch going to make any difference in reception?

I don't know if it will make a difference, the grinding wheel will be an item of last resort. I am also considering bending the end either up or down so it will clear, if my shim idea above doesn't pan out.

**HiHoAgRV** · 07-09-2007, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eikel1we

could you not just turn the antenna a bit so it clears the shroud and have the other end point toward the roof center?
suz

I'm pretty sure mine was mounted at an angle.

**HiHoAgRV** · 07-09-2007, 05:41 PM

photos

overlander63 · 07-09-2007, 05:50 PM

Okay, I'll angle it if nothing else works. I just don't want to put more holes in the roof, that would, to me, be worse than the batwing wearing a hole in the shroud. Also, I am seriously considering replacing the Armstrong before we start fulltiming. The failure of the unit a couple of weeks ago has me very worried that in the middle of the day, it would get a lot hotter than 100 in there if it shuts down when we are at work, or out. That would literally cook our dog, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if our dog died because I didn't want to spend the money on a new a/c.
I may wait till after we replace the a/c, and see if the batwing still rubs the new unit. If not, great, if it does, then I'll get creative.
Anybody want a slightly used Armstrong 12,000 btu a/c unit? Works good, but is old.

overlander63 · 07-11-2007, 08:10 PM

A large box arrived today from Jackson Center. I wonder what's in it? I always seem to create more work for myself, this was one of the things I wanted to change when we got Bertha. Stay tuned, more photos coming this weekend.

**azflycaster** · 07-11-2007, 08:18 PM

I have been following this thread and this is my guess for what is in the box:

overlander63 · 07-15-2007, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azflycaster

I have been following this thread and this is my guess for what is in the box:

It's nice to know people are paying attention.

Today, Marie (my fearless assistant and significant other) and I braved the steamy South Florida heat, humidity, and severe thunderstorms to remove the old (and very odd-looking) front awning, and replace it with sunglasses. I originally wanted to get the newer three-piece sunglasses, but not having large amounts of cash at my disposal, we went with the one piece, smaller, and half the price, non-wrap-around sunglasses.
I should have known to scrub the mission when I realized I had left my cordless drill and bits at work, along with some other needed tools (like a flatblade screwdriver). But, being stubborn (or really, really dumb?), I went ahead and tackled the project anyway.
We arrived at the scene of the crime, er, work area, with blazing blue skies, 95+ degree weather, and 95+% humidity, and complete lack of a breeze. I knew it might be trouble when I was able to squeeze a glass of water out of the air around Bertha, but still decided to press on.
Opening up the awning, I immediately noticed I needed more tools than the phillips screwdriver I had brought. It seems whoever installed the awning used 10 screws, all different. Every one was either a different size, or different head on it, and every one was rusted away to a nub. I started with the phillips screw, then moved to the flathead screw, then over to the two different sized hex-head screws, followed by a robertson head screw, and finished with a clutch-head screw

. Maybe this was their way of keeping people from stealing it (not that anybody would want to). Ehat thief would have that many tools in his pocket to steal an awning? They'd move on to easier prey.

After removing most of the screws, and the support arms, a small black cloud appeared over the work site. This small cloud turned into a severe thunderstorm directly overhead, causing us to beat a hasty retreat into the trailer to wait it out. Marie cringed with every bolt of lightning and clap of thunder, and I cringed with every thud of the loose awning attacking the front of Bertha.

Finally the storm abated enough to venture outside, and I ran out with a steak knife and cut the cloth part of the awning from the frame on the trailer. I got soaked, but it kept further damage from occuring.
After the rain subsided, we went back out to finish off the awning, I mean, finish taking off the awning. I got the last two screws out, and scraped off the 5 or so pounds of silicone holding it on the front.
We managed to get a pair of screws started in the hinge, and I was then able to complete the project on my own.
Bertha looks better wearing sunglasses than an awning, much less trashy.
Here are some photos of our latest debacle, I mean accomplishment:

Chuck · 07-15-2007, 04:21 PM

looking good

that is a funny sized awning, isn't it? at first I was thinking that it was simply a rear-window awning mounted on the front...but its too wide. what do you suppose it was originally meant for?

so, just out of curiosity...what's a set of shades like that cost from JC?